Optical means for detecting counterfeit money



March 19, 1940. E, w, QRAN 2,194,227

OPTICAL MEANS FOR DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY Filed April 8,, 1938 I. 7% 1107mm IN VEN TOR.

BY M,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 19, 1940 OPTICAL MEANS FOR DETECTING COUNTERFEIT MONEY Edwin W. Horan,Norwalk, Conn. ,A p p lication April s, meassfiar No. 2o1;o 1e 3 Claims. (Cl. 88-39) This invention relates to improvements inlde-v vices for use by cashiers or other peoplehandling money, which will'assist them in the ready djetection of counterfeit money.

An object of my invention is toprovide a device used in the detection of counterfeit money, which may be secured to a cash register, and comprises means for holding a bill and an adjustably supported magnifying glass whereby a person may magnify the printing upon the face of the bill, to

assist them in. determining whether the bill in' particular is a counterfeit one, or one which is good.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device used in the detection of counterfeit money, which will include a support having spring fingers for supporting a bill in question, together with means for supporting a magnifying glass adjustable toward the bill holding means whereby printing on the bill may be examined in detail to determine its authenticity, and means whereby magnifying lenses of different power may be readily inserted in the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device used in the detection of counterfeit money, which will be highly eflicient in use, and quite inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of my application,

Figure l is a side elevation of a cash register with my improved device applied thereon;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through my improved detection device;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure iis a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2; a

Figure 5 is a sectional view takenon'the line 5--5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 4.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawing to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a detection device for detecting counterfeit money, which consists of a bill holding frame 2 adapted to be secured in any desired position upon a cash register I, and a magnifying lens holding frame adjustable with respect thereto.

The bill holding frame 2 is substantially rectangular in shape, and is provided with a pair of f spaced spring bill holding fingers} secured to the lower surface of saidbill'holding frame i. and extending upwardly in contact therewith. Suitable bolts will be positioned through the bill holding frame and will extend through the surface 5 or wall of the said cash register i, to firmly secure the device in position on the said cash register. The bill holding frame 2 is provided with a laterally extending base'portion t formed with theupwardly and inwardly extending flanges ,5 and 6, the adjacent edges thereof forming a guideway I, and. cooperating limiting shoulders 8 and 9.

A magnifying lens holder H] extends substantially parallel with the bill holder frame 2, and is rounded at its upper end, and is provided with the inwardly extending lens holding flange H extending about the rounded portion of the lens holder and down the opposite sides thereof. The lens holder in is also provided with a laterally extending base portion it which is adapted to be slidably received within-the flanged portion of the base 4 of the bill holding frame 2, and is provided with an upturned centrally disposed guide and locking finger i3 which is adapted to slide within the guideway l in the bill holding frame 2 toprevent the complete withdrawal of the lens holder portion of the device from the bill holding frame. I A magnifying lens it will be positioned within the lens holding flange, on the lens holder Ill, and an arcuate flanged member I5 is adapted to slide within the side flanges on the lens holder until it'is positioned'about the lower edge of the lens I l. The flanged member is provided with looking tongues l5 and I7 which are adapted to extend through suitable slots I8 and I9 formed in the flange ii at the opposite sides of the lens I4, and will be bent downwardly against the outer surface of the said lens holding flange, thereby locking the magnifying lens M in fixed position within the lens holder. It will'be understood that the arcuate flanged member may be removed when it is desired to replace the magnifying lens with one of a weaker or stronger power. 1

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that when there is an uncertainty as to the authenticity of a bill, the hill will be placed under the spring fingers 3 and the magnifying lens will be moved'forward and backward until it is in the proper focus to magnify the characteristics of the printing upon the bill, thereby enabling one familiar with the characteristic markings or printing upon good bills, to determine whether the bill in question is good or is counterfeit.

It will be further understood that while I have described and shown one form of detecting device for detecting the authenticity of bills, I do not intend to limit myself to the specific construction as described and shown, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Optical means for detecting counterfeit money, including an apertured lens holder having a substantially semi-circular holding flange extending partly around the aperture and merging into substantially parallel portions, said flange providing a channel for the reception of a portion of the margin of a lens, a lens bridging the opening and having a portion of its margin ex tended into the channel, an arcuate flange meinber seated at its ends in the channel and lapping a portion of the margin of the lens, cooperating means at the ends of said member and in the flange on the holder for holding the arcuate member in engagement with the lens, a frame for supporting a bill and for engagement with and attachment to a supporting structure, a spring finger for binding the supported bill against the frame to hold it across the focal axis of the lens, and an adjustable slidable connection between the frame and the lens holder.

2. The combination with means for engaging and supporting a bill and for attachment to a support, of magnifying means adjustably connected to said bill supporting means for movement toward and from the same, said means including an apertured lens holder, a lens bridging the aperture in the holder, a flange carried by the holder and lapping a portion of the margin of the lens, said flange being extended along parallel lines away from the lens, an arcuate member insertable at its ends between the holder and flange into lapping engagement with a portion of the lens, means for detachably connecting the ends of the arcuate member to the flange.

3. The combination with means for engaging and supporting a bill and for attachment to a support, of magnifying means adjustably connected to said bill supporting means for movement toward and from the same, said means including an apertured lens holder, a lens bridging theaperture in the holder, a flange carried by the holder and lapping a portion of the margin of thelens, said flange being extended along parallel lines away from the lens, an arcuate member insertible at its ends between the holder and flange into lapping engagement with a portion of the lens, and tongues projecting from the ends of the axis of the member, there being slots in the flange in which the tongues are seated, said tongues being in lapping engagement with the slotted flange.

EDWIN W. HORAN. 

